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Fair and Worm-er
Fair and Worm-er is a 1946 Merrie Melodies short directed by Chuck Jones. Plot A small worm is attempting to dine on a large delicious apple, when he is attacked by a hungry black crow. The crow pursues the worm until he is suddenly attacked by a hungry cat. The cat chases the crow, only to be attacked by a vicious bulldog. The bulldog harasses the cat until he is suddenly set upon by the local dog catcher. The cartoon follows a rigorous chase between all the protagonists, with each generation of characters helping some while hindering others. (For example, the crow reasons: Dogs chase cats... Cats chase birds... I'm a bird... Therefore, I gotta help the dog...) Intermixed in the action are also the dog catcher's wife (armed with a rolling pin) who professes the she is afraid of neither man nor beast, and a tiny mouse (who informs her that he is a beast) sends her in to a screaming fit. Also, there is a brief cameo by a skunk who may or may not be Pepé Le Pew. At the conclusion of the cartoon, an unseen narrator asks the worm if he must go through this routine every day just to get something to eat. It is then that we are informed that the worm does not wish to eat the apple, but rather move into it, as it is the last furnished apartment in town. Notes * The cartoon is a chase sequence short done largely in silent slapstick. Only a few of the characters actually speak. Some have "title cards" appearing above their heads to represent their thought patterns. This cartoon is considered one of the possible inspirations for the Road Runner vs. Coyote series of shorts produced in the 1950s and beyond. * The mouse in this cartoon closely resembles Chuck Jones' creation Hubie and Bertie. * The cartoon's concept is somewhat similar to that of "The Early Bird Dood It" (1942) by director Tex Avery at rival studio MGM. * The dogcatcher's line when he sees his wife chased by a mouse "Everybody wants to get into the act" is a catchphrase of Jimmy Durante. * The 1995 "dubbed version" print (applies to both USA and EU prints), unlike the Associated Artists Productions version seen on LaserDisc and TV airings, contain split cuts which are very obvious to even the most naive viewers, particularly in the scene when the dogcatcher's wife tells the audience that she is not afraid of man or beast. This is probably due to the deteriorating 16mm film elements used to make the dubbed version print, as Turner Entertainment had no access to the cartoon's original negatives stored at the WB vaults at the time. Category:Cartoons directed by Chuck Jones Category:Shorts Category:1946 Category:Blue Ribbon reissues Category:Merrie Melodies Shorts Category:Cartoons written by Michael Maltese Category:Cartoons written by Tedd Pierce Category:Cartoons animated by Basil Davidovich Category:Cartoons with music by Carl W. Stalling Category:Cartoons with orchestrations by Milt Franklyn Category:Cartoons with film editing by Treg Brown Category:Cartoons with sound effects edited by Treg Brown Category:Cartoons with layouts by Richard Morley Category:Cartoons with backgrounds by Richard Morley Category:Cartoons with characters voiced by Mel Blanc Category:Cartoons with characters voiced by Robert C. Bruce Category:Cartoons produced by Eddie Selzer Category:Cartoons in a.a.p. package Category:One-Shot Cartoons